Fire-escape.



Nn. 647,373. V Pateten Apr. lo, i900. c. P. BREINING.

FIRE Esc/APE.

(Application led Nov. 28, -18 99.)

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No. 647,373.. Patented Apr. IU, i900.

C. P. BREINING.

FIRE ESCAPE.

(Application Bled. Nov. 2B, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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CLAYTON I). BRINING, OFCOGAN STATION, PENNSYLVANIA.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 647,373, dated April10, 1900.

i vApplication filed November 28, 1899. Serial No. 738,566. (No model.)

To cti/Z whom, it may concern:

Beitknown that I, CLAYTON P. BREINING, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cogan Station, in the county of Lycoming and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fire-escapes; and the object thereof is toprovide a device of ro the character described which will be durable,simple, and easily operated and at the same time readily respond to themanipulation of the operator.

With this object in View my invention consists in certain parts andlcombinations of parts,all of which will be speci ficallydescribedhereinafter, recited in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in whicl1 zo Figure 1 is an elevation of a portion of a houseto which a fire-escape has been arranged in accordance with myinvention. Fig. 2 is an elevation of' a portion of the track supportingthe device partiallycollapsed. Fig. z 5 3 is an enlarged detail viev.7of the yoke, and

Fig. 4 is a similar view of the sleeve connecting one of the belts tothe cable.

Referring now to the drawings by referencennmerals, 5 indicates a seriesof hangers or 3o hooks provided at predetermined intervals at or nearthe top of a structure and which engage and support in any suitablemanner a horizontal track 6. In practice this track can be arranged onall sides of the structure continuously, or it may be supported on onlyone or more sides, as found convenient or desirable.

Supporting the yoke 7 and loosely mounted in journals 8 and 8a aregrooved wheels 9 and 4o 10, which are adapted to run the entire lengthof the track to transport the mechanism, to be hereinafter referred to,from one portion of the building to another. This yoke ispreferablysemicircular in plan and will be made of light durablematerial, and at the lower central portion I provide a pivotedtransverse bar 11, secured thereto by a pin or bolt l2. n

Secured to said bar 1l at 13 and to the upper portion of the yoke at 14is a central hinged 1 5o brace 15, comprising two sections pivoted at 16in such a manner that the two sections above referred to will beslightly out of alinement, so that when the brace is extended thetransverse bar will be rigidly supported with relation to the yoke.

Pivotally secured one to each end of the transverse bar 11 aredownwardly-projecting side bars 16a and 17, connected at their lowerends by a transverse lever 18, the handle 19 of which is adapted toengage with the lug or 6o projection 2O on the face of the side barld.Intermediate the top and bottom connections of the above-referrcd-toside bars I provide a series of braces 21,whicl1 I will term rounds,inasmuch as they will be spaced apart a suitable distance to enable thesupported structure just described to be utilized as a ladder, althoughfor aged persons and children I provide a separate and distinct meansfor aiding their descent. 7o

.Iournaled to the transverse bar 11 is a pulley 22, and to the lever 18is a pulley 23, the latter being operable by a crank 24 from the ground,and on the axle 25 of the latter pulley is a ratchet 26, engaged by adog 27, controlled by suitable means, whereby the endless belt or cable28, driven around said pulleys, may be held rigid when found desirable,said cable being wound around the lower pulley two or more times toprevent slipping.

29 is a lug or stop on the yoke 7 to add rigidity to the ladder whenextended, and 30 are sleeves secured to the cable to provide connectingmeans for the life-belts 31.

In the practical embodiment of my invention the device will be collapsedor folded, the handle 19 of the lever 18 engaging the lug 2O to hold itso; but when itis desired to use the device the operator will pull onthe handle 19, thus operating the brace 15, which 9o will hold thestructure suspended from the yoke rigid. The occupants of the buildingwho are able can then utilize the rounds of the ladder to make theirescape therefrom, while others maybe lowered by the cable and belts inan obvious manner by operating the crank 24:. It is apparent that thecable can be held and retained rigid at any predetermined point bymerely throwing the dog into engagement with the ratchet carried by the:coo axle of the lower pulley.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is y 1. In anre-escape, the combination with a suitable support, of a carriageadapted to travel thereon, a collapsible ladder arranged on saidcarriage, a brace 'for holding the saine rigid, a lever at the lower endof saidv ladder for extending the same and folding the sides one uponanother, and means for holding the lever-handle in a locked positionWith relation to the side thereon When the ladder is collapsed,substantially as described.

2. The combination with a yoke, of a ladder pivoted thereto, a bracesecured to the yoke and ladder, pulleys, one at each end thereof, anendless cable mounted on said pulleys, belts arranged at predetermineddistances on said cable, and means for actuating the pulleys and cable,substantially as described.

CLAYTON P. BREINING.

Witnesses:

C. L. BADER, MILES Morne.

